Provenance

Contents

1. Finding yourself opposed to your enemy with axe in hand in guardia alta [high guard], with the left foot forward, and with the right hand raised high, finding the left forward with the heel [butt end or lower part] of the axe, you will be able to pass forward with your right foot, and deliver a mandritto [right blow] to the head, provoking the enemy to defend himself with the axe, or with the haft, and that so done you will come to find yourselves with the hafts of the axes crossed together, whereby you will be attentive, so that your enemy wanting to pass forward with his left foot, to beat the haft of your axe with the heel of his, and then to wound your chest or face with the said heel, you will in that tempo [moment of time] lift your axe up high, letting his blow go by void, and suddenly deliver a chop to his head, and this you will do every time that you have found yourself with axes crossed, and your enemy has moved to make such an effect with the heel of his axe.

Guardia alta would seem equivalent to the guard of the queue, or vom tag. See Talhoffer 1459 131v. Also Manciolino's guard for the bill "in the act of giving a mandritto".

2. Finding yourself with axe in hand opposed to your enemy with your left foot forward in guardia alta, or with the right in porta di ferro stretta [narrow iron door], you will pay attention, so that your enemy wanting to offend you with some blow to the head, if you are in porta di ferro, in that tempo you will take a large step forward with your left foot, speading your arms well outstretched, so that you receive his blow on the haft of your axe between your hands, suddenly turning the heel of your axe with the left [hand] over his head, and catching his neck on the left side, you will procure to pull him strongly backward to the ground, but be aware, that in your stepping it is necessary, that your left leg is positioned to the outside of his right side.

Porta di ferro stretta seems to be equivalent to the guard of the dague, or pflug. It also appears in Manciolino's instructions on the bill. See e.g. Talhoffer 1459 131r.

3. But when you find yourself in guardia alta as said above, and your enemy wants to offend you in the head, you will step forward with your right [foot] fending off the blow in the manner above said, and so stepping forward with the left foot, making the same turn with the butt of your axe, with all skill and force you will procure to make him fall to the ground.

4. But if perchance you wanting to hurt your opponent in the head, he uses the same defence, to turn at that time the foot of his axe about your neck to make you fall as said above; supposing therefore that your blow were delivered with the right hand forward, you will pay attention, so that as he defends the said blow between his hands as said, wanting to take you in the neck with the heel, you will be able in that tempo to release the foot of your axe with your left hand, take the haft with your said hand by the canto [corner, perhaps the junction of head and haft] of the axe, and with the heel of it you will be able to beat the enemy's heel toward his right side, and so finding him on your outside, you will be able to thrust the heel of your axe into his chest, or if you would prefer take him in the neck and send him to the ground, or if you like retake the foot of your axe with your left hand, and give him a sudden chop on the head.

6. You will moreover be attentive to harass your enemy, at all times, that being in a quarrel with him, given the opportunity [ti venesse colto di] you can catch him with the horn [the bec de faucon] of the axe in some part of the leg, or of the arm, or in the neck, or in some other part of his person.

Venire colto seems to be a common enough Italian idiom but I don't know what it means.

7. So that you you will never have to give in [rimanere], being given the opportunity [venedoti colto di], wound with a thrust in the face, or in whatever other part his body is convenient [ti venesse destro], that you find unarmed, such as the testicles, or groin, as you please.

I'm not sure what venire destro means either, or rimanere in this context.

8. If you again found yourself opposed to your enemy with your right foot forward, and with the axe positioned in the manner of the porta di ferro stretto, and him against you in the same guard, and with the right foot likewise forward, you will be able to catch his [axe] with the horn of your axe, and without delay giving him a pull toward you with all your force, you will try to remove it from his hand, yet if this doesn't succeed [colto non ti venisse], at least this follows, that if he attempts to remove yours from your hands, as you will do his, you will be quick to step forward in that tempo with your right foot, thrusting the spike of your axe with great force into his belly, or into his groin upon [or over] the testicles, or in his throat, so that possibly, you will make him fall backward head over heels.

9. But if you found yourself with your right foot forward in the manner of the porta di ferro stretta, and that your enemy thrust at you with the spike of the axe, to wound your throat, or groin, or foremost foot, you will be able in that same tempo to try taking with the horn of your axe that of your enemy, giving him a tremendous pull toward you in order to remove it from his hands, and maybe it will be no marvel, removing it from them, with this being so, that in that tempo, that he will strike the blow at you, you take his axe and pull, he not having in it more force than this, that he could have, I firmly believe, that you will accomplish your intention, yet even it did not come to you, subsequently you will move your right foot somewhat forward giving him the spike [of your axe] with all your force in the groin on [or above] the testicles and note, that if you are wary with this art, and courageous, the enemy may do what he wants, and yet he will remain, against his will, conquered and taken prisoner.

10. If you found yourself at settled with your left foot forward, and in the manner of the porta di ferro stretta likewise with your left hand forward, and that your enemy with the like left foot, and hand forward, delivered a blow of the axe to your head, you will be able to step forward with your right foot, and defend yourself from the blow so made with the heel of your axe, giving him afterward the spike of your said axe in the throat, or you will want to catch him with the haft of your axe in the throat, pulling him with all your force toward your right side, such that he is knocked to the ground, and you will make him fall much better if your right foot is found outside his left.

11. If you found your enemy with his left foot forward, and with the axe in the manner of the guardia alta, you will place yourself with your axe in the manner of the porta di ferro stretta, and with your right foot forward and if there your enemy moved forward, to deliver a chop to your head, you suddenly will step forward with your left foot, defending yourself with the haft of your heel, and this done you will be able to suddenly thrust the spike of the heel into his throat, or catching his throat with the haft of the said heel, to pull him toward your left side so that against his will he goes to the ground.

12. You will be able moreover to settle yourself in such a manner against your enemy, that is that your left foot be forward, and your right hand high near the axe [head], the left forward with the heel, and in such a manner you will seek to press [stringere] your enemy, doing it so that your right foot pushes your left forward, with the semblance of giving him the spike of the heel on the foot, and because of this he will be compelled to bring the heel of his axe to that of yours, so you will be able to remove the axe from his hand in this manner, that you delivering a blow of your axe with tremendous force on the heel of his, he will of force without fail release his axe with his left hand, so that subsequently you will be able to step forward with your right foot, redoubling with a blow in the groin on [or over] the testicles, with the spike of your axe, and with all force in that tempo with your said axe raising him upward, and thrusting him backward, send him forcefully to the ground.

13. If your enemy settles himself with his left foot forward, and with the heel of his axe forward in the same sort, you will be able to settle yourself with your right foot forward, holding the heel with your left hand, and the right toward the axe [head], but as high as you can, and there giving him the impression that you want to wound him with a chop on the head, you will observe, that he raises his axe in some manner to defend himself, and in that tempo you will be quick to deliver a chop in the manner of a mandritto tondo [round or horizontal right blow] to his foremost leg, and so you will remove his leg from under him with the blow, or you will be able to catch the said leg with the horn [of your axe], pulling him forcefully so that against his will he will fall to the ground.

14. But if you found yourself the same as your enemy, with the left leg forward, and with the left hand forward likewise, you will be able to pass forward with your right foot, pretending to give a chop on the head, and as he would defend himself in some way, at the same time collecting the axe somewhat backward, you will thrust the spike of the axe strongly into this groin over the testicles, or if you want to say [?] in the testicles, and I say very strongly, so that he falls backward to the ground.

15. Once more finding yourself and your enemy with left foot forward, and with the same hand also forward, you will be able to pretend to strike him with the spike of the heel to the face, and instantly strike him with the said spike in the foot.

If you are attacked by an opponent with a polearm, and have nothing other than the sword alone, my advice is to move into porta di ferro stretta with your right foot forward. When he moves to push an attack of any sort towards your chest, using any common type of polearm, you should beat it to your right side with your false edge, then pass your left foot forward. With a half turn of the hand you should then pass your right leg a great step forward, before quickly moving your left leg forward and thrusting a point into his face, and once in front of him you should not relent.

If you are in the aforementioned guard of porta di ferro stretta and your opponent pushes an attack with a polearm towards your right leg, you should parry by beating it to his left side in the form of a mezzo roverso with your sword's true edge. Having passed with your left leg, you should let your right leg pass deftly forward, before immediately passing your left leg in front and putting your point into his stomach. You should always be intent however on pushing yourself ever forwards, so that you can grab the pole with your left hand.

If you are in coda lunga stretta however with your left foot forward, and your opponent throws a partisan thrust to your chest, you should immediately pass your right leg forward. Having driven your sword's true edge into his weapon, you should push it far over to his right, beating it to the floor on that side. You should then turn your left leg so that it straddles your right,* then without hesitation pass forward with your right to give him a roverso to the face, or thrust to the chest. As before having parried your enemy's attack, you can grab the pole of his weapon by raising your left hand, not releasing it for any reason.

i.e. performing a girata or analogous action.

If you are in the aforementioned guard however and your opponent pushes an attack towards your front leg, then you should pass your right leg forward somewhat to his left side, while throwing an ascending mandritto from below into the approaching pole, beating it towards his right side, so that your left leg can straddle behind the other. By then passing forward with your right leg you can give him a roverso to the face, or to wherever is easiest to wound.

You can set yourself against your enemy in coda lunga e stretta with your left foot forward, keeping your glove hand together with your sword hand, making sure that your right foot pushes your left forward from this position. Do not attempt an attack but keep your eye fixed on the enemy's sword hand. When he attempts any type of blow to your upper body, in whichever manner he pleases, be they stoccate, imbroccate, overhand, underhand, or attacks of any other type, you should parry with your sword in guardia di testa, and with gracious dexterity grab his sword from the inside with your gauntlet hand.

You should note at his point that, in the tempo in which you defend with the sword, you must perform the grab with the said gauntlet hand immediately, enabling you to wound him quickly with a cut or a thrust as you prefer, or as seems best. You will then let your right leg run behind your left, so that he cannot grab your sword with his gauntlet.

Facing the enemy in the aforementioned guard, coda lunga e stretta with your left foot forward, if he does not attempt an attack to your upper body but instead to your lower body, you should note that in the tempo in which he seeks to wound you, whatever the nature of his attack, that by withdrawing your left foot towards the right you can leave the enemy's blow to pass in vain.

You should then pass your right foot forward, showing him that you would like to push a point into his chest, and as he seeks to parry by any means, you should give a mezzo mandritto to his sword hand, or if you prefer thrust the point, likewise you should not disdain a mezzo roverso in this situation. The most praiseworthy of these attacks however is the one that best returns you in good order, so much so that you should not attack other targets, in order that he cannot grab you with his gauntlet. If during all this he does nonetheless find a tempo in which to attack, you can parry the blow with your sword; always venturing, with a certain deftness, to grab the enemy's sword with your gauntlet hand.

Finding yourself again against your enemy in the aforementioned guard, with your left foot forward, you can press him, ensuring that you push from your right foot in advancing your left. It is not necessary to throw any kind of blow at him, because in this manner you will provoke him into either going backwards or into attacking.

If he does neither, instead opposing you in a matching guard, in order either to grapple you or for some other design of his, you can let him catch a few glances to see that you wish to wound him, forcing him to make some kind of move or other. As he approaches, knowing his intentions and not being caught out by making him move, you can attack his hand with a mezzo roverso, thrust or mezzo mandritto. Being then forced to throw an attack at you, you can parry it with gracious dexterity and in the same tempo perform the grab with the gauntlet hand. If you cannot achieve the grab on the first or second occasion, you can do so on the fourth or fifth, but in any case ensure that you grab him.

Finding yourself again in the aforementioned guard, in the same manner as above, facing the enemy in whichever guard he prefers, with shrewd dexterity you can turn your sword underneath his in the form of a circle. Starting from over your opponent's sword, you will turn your sword towards his left side and underneath his, moving in the manner of guardia di testa, in that tempo taking his sword from underneath with great speed, and giving him yours wherever you please

On the sword and armoured gauntlet

Finding yourself in coda lunga e stretta with your right foot forward, against your enemy in the aforementioned guard* that is in porta di ferro stretta with his right foot forward, you should hold the gauntlet so that it always accompanies your sword hand, then let him see that you would like to push a firm thrust to the left side of his stomach.

This refers to the preceding chapter in the manuscript, on the sword and rotella.

As he moves to defend himself from this attack, you will be able to quickly run your left foot forward towards his right side, turn your sword underneath his, in that tempo gracefully grasping your sword four fingers from the hilt with your gauntlet hand,* and with great impetus push a thrust into the right side of his chest with both hands. With this accomplished you will gather your left foot back and settle yourself in the aforesaid guard.

i.e. half-swording.

If he were to raise his sword to parry this thrust, although I do not know how because in parrying he would not have the strength in one hand that you have in two, as you move your point forward to wound him in the chest, you can use your gauntlet hand to grab his sword hand, then strike him wherever you please.

The contrary of this would be that while your opponent gives the semblance of a thrust, you show that you wish to parry it with the true edge of your sword. As he passes to wound you with the said thrust, grabbing his sword with his gauntlet hand to give it more force, you should likewise grab your sword with your gauntlet hand, and push his sword to the outside, to your right. Having done this you can push a thrust into his face.